The United World Group’s first Indian football club began functioning on Friday when former Indian player I.M. Vijayan kicked off the practice session of the Kerala United FC at Edavanna, near Manjeri.
Kerala United FC is the fourth football team launched by the United World Group, the owner of Premier League club Sheffield United. Owned by Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, United World Group is based in Geneva, Switzerland. It has a chain of sports clubs in Europe and Asia.
Former Kerala captain T. Asif Zaheer handed over the practice jersey to Kerala United FC captain Arjun Jayaraj.
Kerala United FC managing director Sakariyya Wayanad and chief executive officer Shabeer Mannaril said the team would engage in rigorous practice every day starting 7 a.m. They said the team would play the Kerala Premier League in the first phase, and the I-League and ISL Championship in the second phase.
Apart from Sheffield United, the United World Group owns Belgian club Beerschot and Dubai-based UAE second division club Al-Hilal United.
